At work my computer and my bosses have started making a weird mosquito like noise about every 5 minutes. Seems to happen radomly...

A user reported the same thing from another computer on our network.

I have run several virus scans on my computer (all computers constantly run eTrust AV) and come up with nothing.

My boss thinks it is hardware failing (eg. fan) but I think it is too much of a conincidence that three PCs (three different model IBMs) started doing it at same time.

Sound is not coming from speakers.

I'm thinking a virus making the hdd do the sound (ala the Bomb Iraq virus etc..)

Any ideas?

Check for mosquitos.

would this tickle yer fancy?

http://www.ausgifts.com.au/graphics/aerogard_insect_repellant.jpg

also sounds like hard a problem with drive/fan just open it up and find out?

I'd say it's a bad batch of fans. With the high pitch noise they are probably small ones such as northbridge fans or videocard fans.

hey coochie,

Sounds definatley like a fan bearing, I have had this happen many of time, Got video cards? if they have a fan check that, as for them all happening, are the all the same age?.

Sounds definatley like a fan bearing, I have had this happen many of time, Got video cards? if they have a fan check that, as for them all happening, are the all the same age?.

No that's the thing...they are all different model IBMs one from about 3 years ago, one from about a year ago and one brand new one. Seems to much of a coincedence to be bad fans. They all started doing it at same time.

also no vid cards...all onboard...one set of two fans for CPU and obviously an internal PSU fan and that is it.

some PSU's do fairly high pitched noises as well when air is damp, have you got any other PSU's to try?

It's usually smaller 40mm and 60mm fans that sound like that when they're dying. Replace the PSUs and try stopping the other CPU fans with your fingers to see if the sound stops.

Although I would really have thought video card had you not said there were none, they're prone to dying, so very annoying.

Replace the PSUs and try stopping the other CPU fans with your fingers to see if the sound stops.

Sound is not constant, only happens for about 1 second about every 5 minutes....so would have to stop CPU fan for long time...probably not a great idea.

Will try replacing PSU and CPU fans.

my lcd makes a noise like that but when its in lower resolutions. my logitech mx 15 made that sound too got copperhead now anyway.

could be that new uber cool mosquitoe ring tone.

Coochie, how old are the machines?

We just got a batch of new IBM slimlines in here at work and when under load, the CPU makes a squealing, squelching sound. Only very faint though. Is it a P4?

Mr Hardware machines are between 1 and 3 years old (thought one was brand new but this is not the case).

2 P4's (ThinkCentres) and one Celeron (Netvista).

Done a little bit more Googling and apparently it is Hitachi HDDs.

Think I'll just swap mine for a WD and not worry about the others:)

Also ran for about 15 minutes without CPU fans...and yes the computer is still alive (I'm using it to post this). And I now know it is definetly not the CPU fans :)

crank some choons.

do you work in or near a swamp per chance?

damn i never even thought of that one ^ very good question